Aliens: Quarantine
by JamietheBastard
Summary: Two survivors from the USCSS Kurtz encounter an apparently abandoned space station. Investigating they discover it has been infested by a Xenomorph hive and is in quarantine lockdown. They encounter a small group of survivors barricaded in a secure location and must make their way through the station to reach a docked mining ship and escape. A sequel to Alien: Evolution's Nightmare
1. Chapter 1

PROLOGUE.

INT. CON - AMALGAMATED MINING STATION 87 - TAU CETI II SYSTEM.

A busy control room, control consoles and banks of machinery, linked by bundles of cables and conduits. A steady hum of chattering machinery, human voices and radio transmissions fill the control centre. Technicians scurry back and forth bearing seismic scans, progress reports and loading schedules, whilst Comm. Techs relay updates to the docked cargo ship USCSS Armstrong, which is loading ore and unloading station supplies. A technician calls over to Chief Mining Engineer Connelly, who is overseeing the loading schedule.

TECHNICIAN.

 _Hey chief Henryk's on the horn, he's had to shut down the excavator on level thirteen. Seismic scans have detected a large cavern._

CONNELLY. (Sighs in exasperation).

 _Great. We're behind schedule on the loading and Captain Garrovick is on my case, if they miss their launch window we're gonna have some mighty pissed off spacers to deal with. Tell Henryk I'll be down ASAP to check it out._

CUT TO:

INT. CON - AM 87 - LOADING DOCKS.

An industrial loading dock. Caterpillar Powerloaders are unloading freight containers onto electric freight haulers for transport to the station's Supply Storage Level. Automated ore loaders are loading the Armstrong's cargo holds. Director of Mining Operations Kruger is liasing with the Armstrong's cargo chief, he consults the IPad Infinity he is holding.

KRUGER.

 _That's the last of our supplies unloaded. They've fixed the gravity feed on Loader One, ore loading will be completed in two hours._

CARGO CHIEF GRADY.

 _OK I'll inform Captain Garrovick, we'll make our launch window no problem._

CONNELLY. V.O.

 _Connelly to Kruger, we've got a problem on level thirteen boss. Scans have detected a large cavern, Henryk's shut down the excavator. I'm gonna go take a look._

KRUGER.

 _Christ what next? We can't afford any more delays, the company's profit margin on this operation is negligible. They stripped the costing to the bone to outbid Weyland-Yutani on the ICC contract award and if we get too far behind schedule we can all kiss our bonuses goodbye, keep me posted._

CONNELLY. V.O.

 _Will do boss._

Kruger goes over to a tech operating a powerloader. The powerloader deposits the freight container onto a cargo transport, which drives off into the station. Kruger converses with the operator.

CUT TO:

INT. CON - AM. 87 - GALLERY - LEVEL THIRTEEN.

Miners Henryk, Villegas, Matusak and Stuckey are clustered around the shut down excavator. Connelly exits the lift.

CONNELLY.

 _What have we got here Henryk? We need to get this excavator back online ASAP._

HENRYK.

 _Scans have detected a large sealed chamber, 100 cubic metres in volume._

Henryk hands Connelly his IPad Infinity. Connelly checks the scan data.

CONNELLY.

 _There's an atmosphere in there, Oxygen/Nitrogen. OK there's two metres of rock to get through, Villegas, Matusak you're up, let's see what's inside._

The two miners manhandle a portable excavator drill into the shaft and begin to bore through into the large chamber.

CLOSE UP ON:

The excavator breaks through. The two miners remove the drill and as they do a gust of stale air wafts out of the cavern.

MATUSAK.

 _Fuck me, that's rank._

Stuckey is dry retching overcome by the foetid air released from the chamber.

VILLEGAS. (Laughing).

 _You can talk. You make some pretty rank smells yourself when you have beans for breakfast._

Connelly goes over to an equipment locker and takes out four heavy duty torches and hands them out to the miners, he takes one for himself and closes the locker.

CONNELLY.

 _Connelly to control, we're proceeding into the chamber._

TECHNICIAN. V.O.

 _Copy that._

CUT TO:

INT. CON - AM. 87 - LEVEL THIRTEEN - CAVERN.

The cavern is obviously an artificial construction: The chamber walls have a skeletal appearance, ribbed tubes dividing the skeletal walls into sections. Rounded, bulging outgrowths top each section, a large opening in the outgrowths feed into organic pipes which all converge in a central point, a raised area in front of what appears to be an altar. Murals depicting alien rituals involving biomech, vaguely humanoid creatures and bizzare mechorganic machinery cover the altar. The raised dais contains a number of sealed leathery urns about a metre high.

The five miners are awed at what they have discovered. They explore the chamber and inspect the alien murals.

CONNELLY.

 _Connelly to control, the chamber is artificial it's not a cavern, Kruger needs to see this._

TECHNICIAN. V.O.

 _Kruger's with Captain Garrovick, the Armstrong is prepping for launch. I'll send him down soon as he comes in._

HENRYK.

 _Jesus look at this shit will ya? Very fucking weird, what do you think this place is?_

CONNELLY.

 _Looks like some sort of temple. Goddamn it, ICC are gonna shut us down and bring in the first contact teams, Kruger's gonna be pissed._

HENRYK.

 _There goes everybody's bonuses. We're lucky we found this thing, at least we got guaranteed shares in anything they find in here._

STUCKEY.

 _Hey chief somethings happening._

CLOSE UP ON:

The leathery green "Urns", with a wet sound four flaps open on one of the urns, One by one four more urns open.

MATUSAK.

 _Hey chief I think there's something alive in these things._

The men approach the urns and look inside.

CUT TO:

INT. CON - AM. 87 - CONTROL ROOM.

The USCSS Armstrong has finally departed. Kruger enters the control room, he addresses a Comm. Tech.

KRUGER.

 _What's the status on this chamber on thirteen, how long til we can get the excavator running again?_

COMM. TECH.

 _Chief Connelly reported in to say they were about to enter the chamber. He checked in 15 minutes later, the chamber appears to be an artificial construct. No updates for the last hour._

KRUGER.

 _Kruger to Connelly what's the Sitrep on thirteen?...Kruger to Connelly, respond please...This is Kruger is anyone on level thirteen reading me?..._

CUT TO:

INT. CON - AM. 87 - LEVEL THIRTEEN - ALIEN TEMPLE.

The five miners are lying unconscious around the dais.

KRUGER. V.O.

 _Kruger to Connelly respond...Damn it, Henryk, Villegas is anyone reading me? I'm on my way down._

CLOSE UP ON:

Connelly, the mining chief has a Facehugger attached to his face, it undulates in time with his breathing. The camera pulls in for an extreme closeup on the alien parasite.

FADE OUT.


	2. Chapter 2

FADE IN

INT. USCSS KURTZ SHUTTLECRAFT

Elias is in the shuttle's pilot seat, manipulating controls, flicking switches.

ELIAS.

 _Shuttlecraft Icarus, registration K09ZZAlpha calling Deep Station Melville respond please...Shuttlecraft Icarus, registration K09ZZAlpha calling Deep Station Melville respond please..._

COMPUTER V.O.

 _WARNING, HYPERSLEEP COOLANT LEVELS ARE AT ONE PERCENT, AT PRESENT RATE OF CONSUMPTION_ _COOLANT WILL BE DEPLETED IN 90 DAYS, REPLENISH IMMEDIATELY. WARNING HYPERSLEEP COOLANT LEVELS ARE AT ONE PERCENT..._

Elias switches off the warning alarm. He goes over to the hypersleep capsules, and inputs a series of commands.

CLOSE UP ON:

MONITOR:

THE LEGEND READS: Resuscitation Procedure Initiated.

Elias goes back to the pilot's console and tries the radio again.

ELIAS.

 _Shuttlecraft Icarus, registration K09ZZAlpha calling Deep Station Melville respond please..._

CUT TO:

The hypersleep capsule is opening.

CLOSE UP ON:

Broussard, Her eyes open slowly, she appears disoriented.

BROUSSARD.

 _Where...?_

ELIAS.

 _You are aboard the Kurtz' shuttlecraft, you have just revived from an extended period in hypersleep._

BROUSSARD.

 _How...how long?_

ELIAS.

 _23 years,7 months and 3 days. Do you recall your name? Do you know who I am?_

Broussard shuts her eyes and concentrates for a moment.

BROUSSARD.

 _Yvette...you're Elias...but I can't...can't remember my last name._

ELIAS.

 _Temporary amnesia isn't uncommon after an extended period in stasis. You remember your first name, that is a good sign._

He gives her a shot.

ELIAS.

 _We are three days travel from Deep Station Melville. I am concerned as I have been unable to contact the station, at this range we should be receiving radio traffic yet all frequencies are silent._

BROUSSARD.

 _Could... sunspot activity be... interfering with comms?_

ELIAS.

 _It is a possibility, I will continue to try and raise the station. First I must ensure that you are undamaged._

He gives her another shot then starts scanning her with a portable Med-Scanner.

ELIAS.

 _Do you recall the events on the Kurtz that led to our abandoning ship?_

It starts to come back to her, all her crewmates are dead?

CUT TO:

EXT. SPACE - TAU CETI II SYSTEM - DEEP STATION MELVILLE

The shuttle is approaching the station. It appears dark and lifeless, no navigation lights are functioning, the viewports are dark. The area of the station where new modules were being built is deserted, no repair pods or EVA construction crews working on the skeletal underlying structure of the new sections, no vacuum welders connecting conduits pipes and infrastructure. The radio is still silent. No shuttlecraft entering or leaving. Only one medium sized ship is docked to the stations upper docking port, and it is also silent and dark. The shuttlecraft Icarus approaches the massive shuttle hangar bay access hatch, it is closed.

CUT TO:

INT. SHUTTLECRAFT ICARUS - PILOTS VIEWPORT POV

BROUSSARD.

 _It looks like the station has been abandoned, what could have happened here?_

ELIAS.

 _Uncertain, at this stage it is impossible to ascertain. We must investigate._

CUT TO:

INT. SHUTTLECRAFT ICARUS - SUIT LOCKER

Elias is suiting up for an EVA.

ELIAS.

 _I can access the hangar bay through the maintenance access hatch. It is designed to be opened manually in the event of power failure.._

BROUSSARD.

 _So is the hangar bay hatch, except that takes a four man maintenance crew with a 200 Kilo power ratchet._

ELIAS.

 _I am prepared for that eventuality._

Elias puts on his helmet and enters the small airlock.

BROUSSARD.

 _Good luck my friend._

She closes the inner lock.

CUT TO:

INT. SHUTTLECRAFT ICARUS - AIRLOCK

The outer hatch opens and Elias maneuvers himself toward the maintenance hatch with suit thrusters.

CUT TO:

INT. SHUTTLECRAFT ICARUS - PILOT'S CONSOLE.

Broussard is sitting at the consloe.

ELIAS. V.O.

 _Elias to Icarus. The station reactor is in lockdown mode, minimal emergency power is still online. It is sufficient to open the hangar bay hatch._

BROUSSARD.

 _Copy that. Maneuvering thrusters on standby._

The massive hangar bay hatch begins to open, once there is enough clearance Broussard maneuvers the small craft into the bay with thrusters.

CUT TO:

EXT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE

The hangar bay hatch begins to close.

CUT TO:

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - HANGAR BAY

An automated boarding tube extends toward The Icarus' airlock and makes a tight seal.

CUT TO:

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - BOARDING TUBE.

Elias has removed his space suit and is waiting for Broussard in the arrivals terminal at station security and customs. Broussard is carrying a flamethrower and she hands Elias a shock Stunner.

BROUSSARD.

 _Better safe than sorry._

They enter the station through an access tunnel leading into the station, the corridor is dim in the faint emergency lighting. Elias scans the corridor with a motion tracker but there is no movement. They reach the next bulkhead hatch which Elias opens.

CUT TO:

Elias and Broussard POV

The corridor is encrusted with Alien hive material, ropy strands of vile alien mucus hardened to the consistency of steel, lines the corridor, human skulls and partial skeletons have been cemented into the walls, along with other random items, bizarre tubes and organic pipes run through the cancerous secreted resin, in places demented outgrowths like plague pustules, some burst and leaking a thick toxic sap that forms stalagmites rising up from the ropy ribbed pipes that line the floor. Broussard was sweating profusely, the humidity in the corridor was unbearable, and warm,thick fluids dripped constantly from the ceiling.

FADE OUT.


	3. Chapter 3

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - ACCESS CORRIDOR.

Broussard is inspecting the alien encrustation lining the corridor, whilst Elias scans their surroundings.

BROUSSARD.

 _What the hell happened here? Some sort of meltdown?_

ELIAS.

 _Negative. Parts of the pyramid structure on LV 427 contained similar encrustation. I believe it is a form of hive material secreted by the xenomorph organism, it appears the station has been overrun._

BROUSSARD.

 _How could those things have got here from Zeta II Reticuli? Captain Hunter destroyed the Kurtz._

ELIAS.

 _The Bioengineer ship contained a cargo of thousands of eggs._

BROUSSARD.

 _Christ... we were out there for twenty five years, you don't think that thing has infested the colonies?_

ELIAS.

 _Uncertain. I recommend we try and reach the Control Centre, the station's logs should provide us with answers as to what has transpired._

BROUSSARD _._

 _Yeah well our options are pretty limited, the shuttle's done, no fuel, no hypersleep coolant. There's an interplanetary shuttle docked at the station, which means there has to be another facility somewhere in this system._

ELIAS.

 _I have no information on any other facilities in this system. At the time of the Kurtz' mission, Deep Station Melville was the only outpost established in the Tau Ceti II region._

BROUSSARD.

 _OK. First up we gotta find a functioning terminal and download the station's schematics, then we head for the control centre._

They continue on into the station. In the next corridor are signs reading : Cargo Bay Delta. Status: Pressurised. They proceed into the Cargo Bay thru the open bulkhead hatch.

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - CARGO BAY.

The cavernous Cargo Bay is in semi darkness, only faint emergency lighting is functioning. Broussard pulls an emergency flare from a pouch on her coveralls and ignites it.

The sputtering flare reveals a nightmare tableau: Cocooned into the secreted hive material lining the walls of the cargo bay are hundreds of corpses. Men and women, all with hideous chest wounds, the ribs broken and protruding outwards.

BROUSSARD.

 _Christ... there must be hundreds of them... all the station personnel._

Elias has located an information terminal next to the inner bulkhead hatch. Manipulating controls on the keyboard he calls up the files he needs and scans the readouts, which cycle at a rate far beyond human ability to comprehend.

ELIAS.

 _I have downloaded station schematics, and the route to station control._

BROUSSARD.

 _Is there a chance anybody is still alive?_

ELIAS.

 _The station's internal surveillance systems are offline. We should be able to reboot them from the control centre._

BROUSSARD.

 _Alright let's move._

They exit the charnel house cargo bay.

BROUSSARD.

 _So where are all the fucking aliens? There must be hundreds aboard._

ELIAS.

 _The xenomorph organism enters a state of hibernation once all suitable hosts are exhausted in the hive region. They emerge from hibernation when suitable hosts are detected near the hive environment._

BROUSSARD.

 _And I'm number one on the menu, unless they also find synthetics palatable._

ELIAS.

 _We need to reach the control centre quickly and quietly. We contact the other station in this system and use the docked shuttle to facilitate our escape._

BROUSSARD.

 _OK we've got a purpose, let's hustle._

They continue on.

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - CARGO BAY.

High up in the network of steel truss, gantries and cranes that line the upper cargo bay.

CLOSE UP ON:

What appears to be a tangle of thick slimy, rubber pipes and bizzare organic shapes, dripping with a thick mucous. A faint slimy, swishing sound can be heard. Here and there faint movements can be discerned, as if something at the centre of the slimy mass is beginning to slowly shift.

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - ADMIN LEVELS.

Broussard and Elias enter an open plaza surrounded by office cubicles. Hastily erected barricades made up of filing cabinets, desks and office machinery had been set up to unsucsessfully block off the corridor they had just come through. Whatever the barricades were meant to contain had torn them apart like cardboard. In places the walls and floor were streaked with blood.

BROUSSARD.

 _Looks like they couldn't stop them getting in. Where are all the bodies?_

ELIAS.

 _It's probable that they were not all deceased. The xenomorph will take a host alive whenever possible._

BROUSSARD.

 _I'm getting an unpleasant tingling in the back of my neck, whatever got them came from the same corridor we just came out of, let's get the hell out of here huh?_

ELIAS.

 _Agreed_. _The Control Centre is this way._

He indicates an access corridor and they continue on.

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - STATION CONTROL CENTRE.

Elias has accessed the station's surveillance and comms systems. Whilst Broussard is calling up the station's log files.

ELIAS.

 _According to the communication logs, the station has regular contact with two outposts in this system: Con - Amalgamated Mining Station 87 and a Weyland/Yutani correctional facility on Erebus 191. Comms systems are operating within tolerances, an automatic distress beacon is transmitting, yet nothing is being relayed. It appears there is a localised jamming of all communications in effect._

BROUSSARD.

 _Could it have something to do with the alien hive? The structures on LV 427 blocked our comms._

ELIAS.

 _Possible. Have you accessed the station logs?_

BROUSSARD.

 _Not without the station commander's override codes. The system's locked me out and is broadcasting an intruder alert to station security. We know there's somewhere to go, let's get to that shuttle and bug out of here._

ELIAS.

 _Affirmative. The upper docking port is ten levels above the control centre._ _There appears to be extensive structural damage between here and there._

At that moment an alert warning alarm and light activate on the comms console. Broussard is startled by the sudden noise.

BROUSSARD.

 _Shit. Looks like we got an incoming communication, you think someone knows we're here?_

Elias approaches the comms console and flicks a switch.

ELIAS.

 _Deep Station Melville control centre receiving..._

MALE. V.O.

 _Thank Christ, you made it. We didn't know how much longer we could hold out, the generator's starting to malfunction, you gotta get us out of here._

ELIAS.

 _What is your location?_

UNKNOWN MALE. V.O.

 _Station security sub - level B10, hurry those things are gonna get in here before much longer._

ELIAS.

 _Acknowledged. On our way._

BROUSSARD.

 _So we got survivors. Ten levels down, twenty levels away from where we need to be through a structurally damaged space station. Looks like we just graduated from needing a rescue team to being the rescue team, great._

ELIAS.

 _If you wish to try and reach the shuttle alone I will understand. I must try and rescue the survivors, my behavioural inhibitors will allow no other course of action_

BROUSSARD.

 _I know my friend, you couldn't leave them even if I ordered you to. Lead on, I'm with you, we're still Kurtz crew and we stick together._

ELIAS.

 _Affirmative._

They begin the descent through the stations sub - levels towards the security centre.

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - STATION SECURITY.

The D.S.M. survivors are in strung out shape. The equipment keeping their secure location inviolate to aliens is malfunctioning.

The two maintenance crewpeople Kharish and Michalski are working on a generator, which is surging and spluttering.

KHARISH.

 _That's it, this piece of crap is fried._ _Generator one's taking the full load. If you had let me and Michalski try for the reactor control room, we could have rebooted the station reactor and we could have maintained the field indefinitely._

CARRINGTON.

 _You never would have made it. It's irrelevant now anyway, as long as it holds on a little bit longer, the rescue team has arrived._

The attractive dark skinned maintenance tech shuts down the dying generator. She hands the piece of equipment she was using to her companion.

KHARISH.

 _It'll hold on a while yet Colonel._

CARRINGTON.

 _OK. Everybody get ready to move out. Jericho, Michalski, cut the welds on the main hatch barricade, the rest of you start clearing the doorway when they're done. Once we're out, follow the Marines instructions to the letter and stay calm, these Colonial Marines are some tough Hombres and they're here to get us out and protect us._

They start to dismantle the barricade.

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - SUB - LEVEL: B8.

Broussard and Elias have made their way down through the station's sub - levels. They approach a closed bulkhead barring the route. Broussard reaches for the hatch control.

ELIAS.

 _Wait._

He grabs her hand before she can open the bulkhead. He feels the bulkhead hatch with his fingers, it is coated with a thin film of ice. He scans the compartment beyond.

ELIAS.

 _The next compartment is exposed to vacuum._

BROUSSARD.

 _And I nearly blew the hatch. How badly damaged is this place? Could the aliens have fucked the place up this bad?_

ELIAS.

 _We must proceed with extreme caution. The extent of the damage is greater than we believed. According to the schematics we will have to back track up one level to circumvent the exposed compartment._

BROUSSARD.

 _Lead on._

They begin the ascent back to sub - level B7.

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - STATION SECURITY CONTROL.

Broussard and Elias have reached the survivors location. They stand outside the heavy bulkhead hatch, they hear the sounds of diamond grinders cutting welds and heavy equipment being dragged aside. Finally the sounds cease and the bulkhead hatch opens. They enter the hatch. People stand up from behind equipment cases and lower the flamethrowers and stunners they were aiming toward the entry hatch. A man comes forward and shakes Broussard by the hand.

COLONEL CARRINGTON.

 _You don't know how glad we are to see you, we've been trapped in here for weeks. I'm Carrington, head of station security and this is Sergeant Jericho my deputy. Station personnel: Administrator Farrell and his staff: Hubacek, Yusagi, Atwell and Blaylock. Kharish and Michalski, maintenance crew and station synthetic Freya 8_.

Each person nods as Carrington indicates them.

CARRINGTON.

 _The civilians are Con - Am rep Milton Steinberg, miners Slayton, Delaney, Tucker and McQuaid and the youngsters are Amber and Billy Hannigan, their parents were freelance belt miners killed in an airlock blow - out._

BROUSSARD.

 _I'm Broussard and this is ship's synthetic Elias 7._

CARRINGTON.

 _Your squad is securing the route back to your ship?_

BROUSSARD.

 _My...squad?_

DELANEY.

 _Look at her you idiots, she might be carrying a flamethrower but she aint military._

BROUSSARD.

 _I'm not military, I'm a commercial flight officer._

STEINBERG.

 _But you are the rescue team?_

BROUSSARD.

 _I've got bad news for you folks. We are not a rescue team, we are shipwreck survivors who arrived here by shuttlecraft some hours ago._

The survivors all start muttering amongst themselves, people are close to panic.

TUCKER.

 _Well that's just fucking great, what do we do now? Once that generator goes we're all fucked._

JERICHO.

 _STOW THAT SHIT NOW. Getting all panicked isn't going to solve anything, everybody shut up._

CARRINGTON.

 _Our basic situation hasn't changed, we still need to keep this area secure until the rescue team arrive._

BROUSSARD.

 _I'm afraid I've got a bit more bad news for you. There is some kind of damping field jamming all communications, nobody is getting your distress signal, there isn't any rescue team coming._

TUCKER.

 _How the fuck would you know? You a comms specialist?_

ELIAS.

 _I believe my shipmate is correct in her assessment. You will have to implement measures to effect escape from this station. Fortunately we have a plan. Were you not aware of the interplanetary shuttle docked at the station's upper docking port?_

McQUAID.

 _The Southern Cross is still docked? What the fuck Steinberg? You said it was programmed to return to 87 on auto pilot and you couldn't override it. I could've made it, I could have got us there. But you told us the fucking shuttle was gone._

STEINBERG.

 _So you wouldn't try, it was safe here, you wouldn't have made it and you would have risked all our lives._

DELANEY.

 _So what gives you the fucking right to decide asshole?_

STEINBERG.

 _As senior company official I have authority over all company employees._

DELANEY.

 _Well fuck you pal I just resigned._

CARRINGTON.

 _CUT THE FUCKING CRAP PEOPLE, this shit is getting us nowhere. Now we are in no immediate danger, the generator will function for a while yet. Jericho, Farrell, Steinberg, McQuaid and the two newcomers - conference, now._

They go into one of the cells, out of earshot of the main group.

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - STATION SECURITY - CELL BLOCK.

CARRINGTON.

 _You two have the latest first hand intel, do you think we can all make it to the docking port?_

ELIAS.

 _The station has suffered major structural damage, but I believe it will be possible to find a route to the shuttle._

BROUSSARD.

 _We've encountered these things before, but that was light - years away from this system, how did they get here?_

McQUAID.

 _A team of miners unearthed some kind of cavern on 87 filled with eggs. They were infected by some form of parasite, we transferred them to the hospital facility here. 87 must have been overrun, we lost all communication with them not long after._

FARRELL.

 _We didn't know what was happening at first. The doctors tried to remove the parasites from two infected miners... jesus ...the things have acid for blood, we lost the patients and a doctor, critically injured another doctor and two nurses and melted through five levels of the station._

CARRINGTON.

 _They quarantined the remaining infected, who all died giving birth to the embryos they were carrying. We couldn't contain the damn things, they all escaped into the ventilation system. We sent in teams to find them but they never came back. Systems started to break down, people started disappearing, slowly at first, then we were fighting for our fucking lives. The things had taken over the station, we managed to get here and barricade ourselves in._

JERICHO.

 _We've been waiting for the rescue team for nearly three weeks._

BROUSSARD.

 _What's stopping the aliens getting in here?_

JERICHO.

 _This is a Maximum Security holding facility for prisoners awaiting transfer to the correctional facility on Erebus 191. Ten feet thick ceramisteel bulkheads on all sides._

McQUAID.

 _Which in itself wouldn't keep 'em out indefinitely, using the ventilation system those bastards can get in anywhere, but we've got an ace up our sleeve. The electromagnetic Scramble Field._

BROUSSARD.

 _What's that?_

JERICHO.

 _Some of the prisoners we get out here have extensive criminal networks in place. Being out on the frontier leaves us pretty vulnerable to any of these gangs who might decide and try a rescue before their bosses are locked down tight on Erebus 191, hence the Scramble Field surrounding Station Security. It jams all foreign comms, scanners, remote detonation devices, makes rescue and escape very difficult even if they got inside assistance._

McQUAID.

 _And the aliens hate it, it scrambles their senses, I don't think it does them any major damage but they sure don't like it. The few that got in here before we got the entry hatch barricaded couldn't get out of here fast enough. Unfortunately the Field generators are totalled, only one of 'em still online._

BROUSSARD.

 _Could we take the generator with us? It would keep the aliens off our back til we reach the shuttle._

JERICHO.

 _No. The generators aren't portable, too bulky._

FARRELL.

 _Anyway I haven't made my decision yet, nobody is taking that generator anywhere. I think it's safer to remain here until the rescue team arrives._

McQUAID.

 _You heard 'em, comms are jammed, there isn't going to be any rescue team. We've gotta try for the shuttle._

STEINBERG.

 _I think Farrel's right. The signal must have been relayed to the network, it's only a matter of time before the marines get here._

FARRELL.

 _Kharish and Michalski can fix the other generators, we stay put we'll be fine._

ELIAS.

 _Broussard and I are going to attempt to reach the shuttle, anyone who wishes to join us will be welcome._

CARRINGTON.

 _It's not your place to decide for everyone else Farrell. We put it to the group, those who want to stay, can stay, those who want to come with us, we take along._

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - STATION SECURITY.

Carrington is addressing the group of survivors.

CARRINGTON.

 _So that's the situation. We are going to attempt to reach the shuttle, anyone who wants to come with us can come along, anyone who wants to wait for the rescue team can stay with Farrell. You've got ten minutes to make your decision._

The group breaks up into smaller groups of two and three. The four miners are huddled together.

McQUAID.

 _Whatta ya say Slayton? We're getting the hell out of here._

SLAYTON.

 _I'm in, I just wanta see blue sky and clouds again before I die, I've been way too long out here on the frontier where all there is to look at is rock, steel and stars._

DELANEY. (Snickers).

 _Yeah and lots of horny miners._

TUCKER.

 _Let's blow this fucking place._

Ten minutes later the survivors have formed into two groups: Farrell, Steinberg and the station admin staff: Hubacek, Yusagi, Atwell and Blaylock have decided to stay.

Carrington, Jericho, Freya 8, Kharish, Michalski, Slayton, Delaney, McQuaid, Amber and Billy are prepping to leave with Broussard and Elias.

CARRINGTON.

 _OK. Everyone load up as much water and c - rations as you can carry, everybody take a shock - stunner and taser._

FARRELL.

 _The synthetic isn't going with you, she's station property. I order her to stay behind._

ELIAS.

 _That is an order she is not compelled to obey, her behavioural inhibitors compel her to protect the larger group of humans and no order can override that compunction._

JERICHO.

 _Everybody move out._

They begin to exit through the entry bulkhead hatch. Elias leads the way, the group begin the ascent to sub - level B9.

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - STATION SECURITY.

The holdouts are working to re-establish the barricades on the entry hatch.

CLOSE UP ON:

The Electromagnetic Scramble Field generator. Lights and readouts on the machine begin to flicker. The generator is surging, suddenly it cuts out altogether and the high pitched whine fades out.

CLOSE UP ON:

An overhead air duct. Loud thumping and metallic scraping can be heard. Everybody stares at the air shaft.

Suddenly the generator restarts, the high pitched whine increases in volume until it is inaudible. The sounds from the air duct diminishes. People relax slightly and return to the task of strengthening the barricade.

CLOSE UP ON:

The field generator. A red warning light is flashing intermittently.

FADE OUT.


	4. Chapter 4

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - CORRIDOR JUNCTION.

Broussard, Elias and the station survivors have reached a four way junction. Elias checks the station schematics.

ELIAS.

 _To reach the upper docking port we need to take the left corridor._

KHARISH.

 _That will take us through the engineering sub - levels._

BROUSSARD.

 _Why don't we go back to the Command Centre and make our way from there?_

MICHALSKI.

 _There's a freight elevator in engineering that connects to the upper docking port._

ELIAS.

 _That was my reasoning. If the elevator is still functional it is a direct route to the shuttle._

MICHALSKI.

 _A five minute ride in the lift and we're out of here._

The party continues on.

INT. WEYLAND - YUTANI RESEARCH VESSEL USCSS WILLARD - XENOMORPH RESEARCH LAB - ORBITING EREBUS 191 - TAU CETI II.

Doctor Hirigawa, the head of the Weyland - Yutani Weapons Division research team is in his office when his deputy Doctor Masen enters.

DOCTOR HIRIGAWA.

 _Come in Masen. I've just received a report from communications, there's been an intersesting development._

Hirigawa is looking through old Survey and Weapons Division files on his laptop.

DOCTOR HIRIGAWA.

 _About 45 minutes ago communications picked up a transmission from a shuttlecraft entering the system._

DOCTOR MASEN.

 _It was bound to happen sooner or later I guess. How does this affect our program?_

HIRIGAWA.

 _Significantly. The shuttlecraft is registered to the USCSS Kurtz._

He pauses briefly to let Masen absorb this bit of information.

HIRIGAWA.

 _The comms tech was able to piggyback a download command back to the shuttle without alerting the occupants. According to the Kurtz logs they set down on moon LV 427 and discovered the ruins of an advanced alien race's outpost, that much we know. The extraterrestrials had been experimenting with the Xenomorph, suffice to say the encounter did not go well for the Kurtz. As you know, they believed the Captain shut down the Fusion Grid coolant system and destroyed the ship, the shuttle obviously escaped the vessel shortly before detonation._

MASEN.

 _Was anybody aboard the shuttle infected?_

HIRIGAWA.

 _No, we have something infinitely more valuable. According to the logs, the ship's synthetic designated as...(_ hechecks the files) _7th generation Hyperdine Systems 120 A2, was short circuited by an alien device on LV 427. In the process an enormous amount of information was downloaded to it's CPU. Masen the synthetic was aboard that shuttle._

MASEN.

 _The chance to study an advanced alien race's weapons facility would be of more value to us than the synthetic surely? I assume we will shut down the program here and proceed to Zeta II Reticuli?_

HIRIGAWA.

 _No. The Kurtz' log states that the alien outpost was destroyed by seismic survey nukes, apparently by one of the mission's security team...(_ checks the files) a _Colonial Marine Private Vossler. We need that android, the data that it possesses is invaluable. I have dispatched a Commando squad to Deep Station Melville, their orders are to retrieve the synthetic and terminate any station survivors they encounter._

MASEN.

 _There was no mention of Kurtz survivors in our mission briefing._

HIRIGAWA.

 _The file Division director Freeling discovered was the Captain's final log entry, dated 21st November 2116. The file was heavily corrupted and contained no reference to survivors._

He inputs a command and Captain Hunter's final log entry is replayed.

HUNTER. (breathing raggedly).

 _This...log entry of Captain... Hunter,...SS Kurtz... intercepted ..alien trans...the Zeta II Reticuli... landed...LV 427 to investigate...crew...dead. Some infect...organism...lays an embryo ..side a living host, the rest...killed...adult creature...infected were incubating... The adult... ... is extremely hostile ... very hard to kill, they... armour...exoskeleton...extremely corrosive blood...Tasers... shock stunners are ineffective... the creatures, projectile weapons... kill them , though the blood... eat through four... thick hardened steel bulkheads with ease...My ship is infested with these..., and accordingly there... one course of action left open to me. I ca... chance of ... abominations reaching...habited system..._

MASEN.

 _So if the Company was aware of the Xenomorph 20 plus years ago why wasn't an attempt made to obtain specimens then? Why wait 20 years to send an expedition?_

HIRIGAWA.

 _Freeling said the file was buried deep in the company database. With a bit of digging he discovered that in 2121 a deep salvage team retrieved the Kurtz' black box. It was badly damaged, the only data they could retrieve was the corrupted log entry. Based on this two Weapons Division executives, Melkonis and Roby, diverted a towing vessel to Zeta II Reticuli to obtain a Xenomorph specimen. The vessel was subsequently listed as missing with all hands in 2125._

MASEN.

 _So the Company has lost two ships to the Xenomorph, I'm beginning to understand their reticence in sending another ship to the system._

HIRIGAWA.

 _Two ships plus payload, the Nostromo was towing a mineral ore refinery, the Company lost billions. There was an ICC enquiry into the loss of the Nostromo, a relative of one of the crew had received evidence from an anonymous source that the vessel was deliberately sent in to peril. The Company threw Melkonis and Roby to the sharks, and with a bit of deft political maneuvering and bribery, the ICC's official report stated that the Nostromo and payload were lost due to an asteroid collision. The file was closed and the Kurtz transmission was buried in the Company database._

MASEN.

 _And that's why the Company didn't send a ship for 20 years, they were waiting for the heat to die down._

HIRIGAWA.

 _Precisely._

MASEN.

 _One thing is bothering me though, we've jammed the distress signals from Meville and 87, but sooner or later another ship is going to come through this system, we can't keep this quiet for much longer._

HIRIGAWA.

 _Division director Freeling has a contigency plan in place. Unfortunately there has been an outbreak of Rigellian plague on Con - Am 87 which has spread to Deep Station Melville. Tau Ceti II will be placed under ICC quarantine, no shipping to enter or leave the system. That should keep any unwanted visitors off our backs._

MASEN.

 _I've got the latest updates on test subject_ _#_ _9, everything is proceeding according to projections. They're ready to begin prepping subject_ _#_ _10\. Warden Campbell's got ten more volunteers ready, the prison shuttle should be here in two hours._

Masen hands the report to Hirigawa.

INT. USCSS WILLARD SHUTTLECRAFT AUSTRALIS - EN ROUTE TO DEEP STATION MELVILLE.

The Weyland - Yutani commando Squad: Vikander, Trenchard, Ransom and Coates are strapped in, the squad's pilot Richter is at the shuttle's controls.

RICHTER.

 _OK ladies, we're in the pipe. ETA at Melville is four hours, smoke 'em if you got 'em._

The rest of the squad release their acceleration harnesses and stand up.

TRENCHARD.

 _What's the op sarge?_

SERGEANT VIKANDER.

 _Sweep and Retrieval. We're after a synthetic, Hyperdine Systems 120 A2 designation Elias 7. Terminate any randoms we encounter._

COATES.

 _Hostiles? What are we up against sarge?_

VIKANDER.

 _The station has been overrun by some sort of alien organism, extremely hostile, it's all on the database. Orders are to terminate any friendlies we find, the suits don't want any witnessess._

COATES.

 _That means civilians, there isn't any military based at Melville._

VIKANDER.

 _You aren't getting soft on me are you Coates? You knew the score when you signed on with the Company, you can always go back to the marines._

COATES.

 _Just sayin' is all sarge._

VIKANDER.

 _Alright ladies you got three hours. Weapons strip, suit prep and full mission database assimilation by_...(Checks his watch) _2130._

The squad retrieve their weapons from lockers and begin stripping and checking them. Vikander goes forward to the pilots compartment. He calls up the Melville specs on a terminal, and a 3D holographic display of the station appears. Vikander studies the display for a few minutes.

VIKANDER.

 _The upper docking port is a no go, our point of entry will be here_...(he indicates an area of the station) the _docking port pressure_ _maintenance hatch. You will have to hold station manually while we are EVA, once we've acquired our target I'll cut the docked mining ship loose and you can dock the Australis._

Richter studies the display.

RICHTER.

 _No problem sarge._

VIKANDER.

 _I want a full spectrum scan of the station as soon we're in range, it's likely that station hull integrity has been compromised, I want to know the extent of the damage before we get there._

RICHTER.

 _Will do sarge._

Vikander returns his attention to the holographic display.

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - FREIGHT ELEVATOR - ASCENDING.

Broussard, Elias and the station survivors are ascending to the upper docking port in the freight elevator. A warning buzzer sounds and there is a sound of grinding steel. The elevator lurches and comes to a complete stop.

KHARISH.

 _That's it, the elevator shaft must be blocked above this level._

MICHALSKI.

 _It got us 10 levels closer, that's something I guess._

Carrington presses a button on the lift's control pad and the hatch opens.

JERICHO.

 _We're on the lower observation deck, there's a stairwell at the end of this level._

The survivors exit the stalled freight elevator. At the end of the corridor is a closed emergency bulkhead hatch. Elias scans the observation deck.

ELIAS.

 _I am not reading any atmosphere beyond the bulkhead. The observation deck appears to be exposed to vacuum._

CARRINGTON.

 _This is our only option, with the lift stalled there is no other way through._

TUCKER.

 _Well that's just fucking great, we're all gonna suffocate in this rat trap. FUCK._

He slams his fist into the wall.

JERICHO.

 _Stow that shit Tucker, we're all in strung out shape but we gotta keep our shit together if we want to get out of here._

Carrington presses controls on the pad next to the closed bulkhead and the vision from the observation deck surveillance camera appears on a monitor. There are three bodies lying on the deck.

BILLY HANNIGAN.

 _It must only be a small leak, the people weren't sucked out into space._

TUCKER.

 _Shut up kid, what the fuck would you know._

JERICHO.

 _Actually Tucker he's right on the money. The artificial gravity is still operational too._

MICHALSKI.

 _If it's only a small leak a tempseal patch will seal it, open the hatch, toss in a few sticky blobs and the venting atmosphere will seal the leak._

KHARISH.

 _We don't know the extent of the structural damage though, opening the hatch could cause an explosive decompression._

ELIAS.

 _As our options are limited I will attempt to seal the leak. Everyone return to the freight elevator and seal the hatch, if my attempt fails and there is an explosive decompression you will be safe. As a last resort you may be able to access the upper levels through the elevator shaft if it is not completely obstructed._

The others return to the freight elevator and seal the hatch. Elias opens an emergency utility locker and takes out three of the red tempseal sticky gel blobs. He presses the hatch control and the emergency bulkhead opens. Immediately the oxygen in the section is sucked towards the leak, Elias staggers slightly as the air rushes past him and he tosses the sticky blobs into the observation level. They are caught by the escaping air and sucked toward the leak.

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - FREIGHT ELEVATOR.

Sounds can be heard echoing up the elevator shaft. Metallic banging and crashing, the aliens are active somewhere below them.

CARRINGTON.

 _I hope this works, if the lift isn't totally jammed we could go back down a few levels, backtrack and find another way through, but it sounds like the aliens are moving down there._

JERICHO. (Addressing the children).

 _How are you kids doing?_

BILLY.

 _I'm OK sir._

The 16 year old Amber doesn't reply. She has been sullen and withdrawn since the death of her parents. The station synthetic Freya reaches out and gently brushes a lock of hair away from the teenagers eyes. She puts a protective arm around the young girl.

FREYA 8.

 _She will be fine sir._

The freight elevator hatch opens. Elias is standing there, the survivors are visibly relieved.

ELIAS.

 _We must get through the observation deck as quickly as possible, most of the atmosphere in this section was lost patching the leak. Also the breached viewport has been structurally compromised, it will fail catastrophically sometime within the next 30 minutes._

DELANEY.

 _Well let's not stand here talking about it Tin Man, let's get moving._

The survivors move out onto the observation deck. They pass the bodies on the deck.

BILLY.

 _Wow, they didn't even explode._

DELANEY.

 _It was a slow leak kid, besides people don't explode when exposed to vacuum, that's just Hollywood bullshit._

BROUSSARD.

 _Poor bastards, the spacer's worst nightmare, stuck on the wrong side of an emergency bulkhead._

JERICHO.

 _What concerns me is that they were trapped in here at all, why couldn't they escape through the stairwell?_

ELIAS.

 _Unfortunately I felt it would not be prudent to take the time to survey the exit._

CARRINGTON.

 _Everyone shut up, you're burning up our oxygen._

They continue on past the patched viewport. The bright red high visibility gel patches can be seen on the compromised viewport, webs of cracks radiate out from underneath the temporary patches.

CLOSE UP ON:

The Viewport. The cracks in the glassteel visibly extend a few centimeters. An onimous cracking sound can be heard.

They reach the stairwell at the end of the observation deck. The hatch is closed. Jericho presses the hatch control but it remains closed, he repetatedly jabs the button in frustration but it is futile.

Elias opens an emergency utility locker and takes out a steel pry bar. He places it into the point where the hatch is flush with door. He looks at Freya and nods, She takes hold of the recessed handle in the hatch with both hands and pulls with the massive strength of a synthetic, the hatch opens a few milimetres and Elias jams the pry bar into the narrow gap and begins to slowly lever the jammed hatch open.

CLOSE UP ON:

The Viewport. The cracks are growing more rapidly, the cracking sound increases.

At the hatch Elias has opened a gap with the pry bar, Freya places her fingers in the gap and the two androids slowly open the hatch, which squeals with a grinding metal on metal sound.

SLAYTON.

 _Hurry it up guys, that viewport is gonna blow._

At that moment the hatch opens all the way, whatever was obstructing it has been cleared. The survivors pile through the hatch and Elias, the last one through presses the hatch control to close it, the hatch begins to close and then stops. The sound of the mechanism that closes the hatch can be heard straining.

CLOSE UP ON:

The Viewport. It blows out explosively.

The atmosphere in the stairwell is sucked through the breach. The sound of the escaping air is deafening. The hatch again clears the obstruction and slams shut. The party collapse onto the deck, they sit there breathing hard as they try to regain their breath.

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - SECURITY SUB LEVEL - STATION SECURITY CONTROL.

The back up generator is failing, it cuts out. In frustration Farrell kicks the malfunctioning generator. It starts to function again, but it is clearly in a bad state.

FARRELL.

 _Clear the barricades, it's time we got out of here, I don't want to be trapped in here when that generator fails._

The Admin. staff begin clearing the barricaded entry hatch.

STEINBERG.

 _You shouldn't have let the techs leave Farrell._

FARRELL.

 _Fuck you Steinberg, you couldn't stop your people leaving, what was I supposed to do? Hold them here at gunpoint?_

STEINBERG.

 _Yeah maybe you should have, they wouldn't have argued with that hand cannon you carry._

FARRELL.

 _It's too late to argue about it now, why don't you make yourself useful and help them clear the entry hatch._

Muttering under his breath, Steinberg joins the party clearing the hatch. He makes a less than convincing effort to help the others.

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - SECURITY SUB LEVEL - CELL BLOCK.

A duct grating falls from the ceiling with loud metallic clang.

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - SECURITY SUB LEVEL - STATION SECURITY CONTROL.

Everyone pauses as they all turn to stare at the cell block. The station staff return their attention to the task at hand and in minutes the entry hatch is clear. Hubacek opens the hatch and peers out into the corridor, but it is empty.

The generator fails for the last time. Ominous sounds are heard in the room, aliens are moving.

At that moment the control centre explodes with noise and chaos.

Atwell is standing in front of a wall duct, the grate flies off and an alien grabs him and pulls him in almost too fast to see. His screams can be heard as the alien takes him deep into the air ducts.

Aliens burst in to the control centre and the survivors open fire with stunners and tasers, a few aliens are knocked off balance by the powerful concussion stunners, but Yusagi and Blaylock go down and are dragged off by aliens.

Steinberg and Hubacek are firing tasers at the aliens, one grabs Hubacek, Farrell is aiming and firing rounds from a Colt Python. An alien lunges toward him and Farrell aims the revolver at the alien and fires. The xenomorph is hit in the head, which comes apart under the impact of the high powered hollow point rounds.

CLOSE UP ON:

Hubacek and the alien dragging him away are hit by the acid spray from the alien Farrell shot. Hubacek screams as the acid begins eating into his head and upper torso. The alien is unaffected by the acid and drags the screaming man into an air duct.

Another alien lunges for Steinberg.

STEINBERG.

 _Do something Farrell._

The cowardly company man shoves Farrell into the aliens path, the station administrator stumbles and is grabbed by the xenomorph. Steinberg rushes for the now open entry hatch and stumbles through, he slaps the hatch control and the the control centre hatch slams shut, the survivors screams echo through the corridor. Out of breath Steinberg leans against the now closed hatch as he tries to regain his breath. A loud impact on the hatch makes Steinberg start with surprise, the aliens are smashing at the hatch which begins to buckle.

Steinberg is in a panic, he runs for the elevator and hits the controls, as the aliens tear through the Security Control entry hatch and run towards the elevator. He makes it into the elevator and presses the controls. Steinberg is muttering to himself as the aliens race toward the elevator. He stabs at the controls again, the aliens are so close he can smell their foul odour. The hatch closes just before the aliens reach it. The lift begins to ascend and Steinberg is sweating hard, he collapses to the lift floor breathing rapidly and muttering. For now he is safe.

STEINBERG.

 _Oh God...oh Shit...mother forgive me..._

The sound of the Aliens battering at the elevator hatch below resounds through the elevator shaft.

FADE OUT.


	5. Chapter 5

INT. USCSS WILLARD - SPECIMEN CONTAINMENT - XENOMORPH RESEARCH LAB.

Hirigawa and Masen are inspecting the containment level, birthing chambers and test subjects. A four inch thick glassteel observation window gives a view into each containment cell. In the first 7 are adult xenomorphs. They stop in front of containment cell #8. Masen is scrolling through files on his tablet.

MASEN.

 _The results for test subjects 1 - 7 are 7 implantations, 7 "births". The time from implantation to birth varies between individuals, possibly due to differing metabolisms, we're looking into that. Test subject 8 died of cardiac arrest during implantation and the attached parasite has also died, it appears that if the host dies prematurely, so does the facehugger. Once the implantation process has begun it can't detach itself and find another host to impregnate._

HIRIGAWA.

 _Facehugger?_

MASEN.

 _It's what the Med - Techs are calling the first stage parasite. The polite version anyway, I thought Facefucker was a bit too offensive for our official reports._

CLOSE UP ON:

Test Subject #8 strapped to a guerney. The attached Face hugger is obviously dead, its tail hangs limp and lifeless and the parasite is a sickly greenish grey colour.

They reach the containment cell for test subject #9. A stocky, well muscled man, is strapped to a medical guerney. He is unconscious.

MASEN.

 _Test Subject 9 is stable 8 hours after implantation._

An alert tone sounds on Masen's tablet. He taps the icon and reads the displayed message.

MASEN.

 _Test Subject 10 is ready for implantation._

The two doctors leave the Containment level.

INT. WEYLAND/YUTANI RESEARCH VESSEL USCSS WILLARD - XENOMORPH RESEARCH LAB.

A high tech research laboratory. Banks of scientific equipment; Medical guerneys with restraint straps in a secure observation alcove complete with four inch thick Glassteel observation window; Researchers and Med - Techs in lab coats peruse monitor screens and lab equipment.

CLOSE UP ON:

The observation alcove, a large man, heavily tattooed, is strapped down on one of the guerneys. A Xenomorph Egg rests on a stand near the unconscious man's head, a special clamp prevents the Egg from opening.

Masen and Hirigawa are watching the man through the observation window, Hirigawa turns and addresses a Med - Tech.

HIRIGAWA.

 _Cut the sedative feed and administer 50 milligrams Dexamphetamine._

The Tech manipulates controls on her console.

MASEN.

 _You want him conscious for this?_

DOCTOR HIRIGAWA.

 _Yes. We can't be sure the parasite will respond to an unconscious host_

CLOSE UP ON _:_

The restrained man. He begins to regain consciousness as the stimulant floods his system, his eyes open and he tries to sit up but is unable due to the restraints.

TEST SUBJECT #10.

 _What the fuck...where am I?...HELLO...HELLO CAN ANYBODY HEAR ME?_

DOCTOR HIRIGAWA.

 _Release the spore clamp._

The Tech presses a contact on her console.

CLOSE UP ON:

The Egg. With a mechanical whir the clamp opens and drops to the floor. With a wet slurping sound the four flaps open. The restrained man on hearing the noise looks over and sees the now open Egg. A Facehugger slowly pulls itself free of the Egg and begins crawling towards the man's face.

The parasite that emerges is different from those that infected the first 9 test subjects. Long spines protrude from it's torso and the air-sacs are covered in a mottled pattern of black patches. Probing with it's long fingerlike legs, it moves leisurely almost as if it is aware the host is restrained. The man sees the Facehugger and thrashes against the restraints.

TEST SUBJECT #10.

 _Jesus...HELP...HELP ME SOMEBODY...oh fuck...HELP MEEEEEEE..._

The man's panicked screams are cut off as the Facehugger attaches itself to his face and its Ovipositor thrusts down the man's throat.

MASEN.

 _Did you see that? It's like it knew he was immobilised._

HIRIGAWA.

 _The next scheduled test we will present the spore with two hosts, one conscious and restrained the other sedated with no restraints. I'm curious as to which the creature will choose to impregnate. I want to review all data before we transmit the coded report back to Division HQ, report to my office in an hour._

CLOSE UP ON:

The Facehugger. Its Air Sacs inflate and deflate, feeding the host oxygen.

INT. SHUTTLECRAFT AUSTRALIS - DEEP STATION MELVILLE.

The commando shuttle has arrived and is holding station in the vincinity of the upper docking ports pressure maintenance hatch. The squad are suited up in their armored tactical combat suits. Vikander and Coates are armed with pulse rifles, Ransom is strapped into a smart gun harness and Trenchard wields a flamethrower.

COATES.

 _We using soft slug loads sarge?_

VIKANDER.

 _No, armour piercing rounds only. These things have armored exoskeletons, soft slugs won't stop 'em, the station's structurally compromised anyway, a few more holes aint gonna make much difference. Richter?_

RICHTER.

 _It looks like the station personnel deliberately destroyed some compartments to keep the aliens contained. Scans reveal pockets of infestation throughout the station, and what appears to be a large hive on the station recreation levels. It appears some areas are free of hostiles, there is a clear route from the upper docking port down through station control to the survivor's secure area._

The pilot points out the highlighted route on the 3 - D hologram of the station.

VIKANDER.

 _If we do run into any hostiles clear targets only, don't shoot 'em at close range, the acid will burn right through a combat suit, so watch the splashback. OK, according to the distress signal the survivors are holed up in the security levels. Trenchard, Ransom that's our objective. Coates I want you standing watch in the upper docking port in case they get by us. Mission clock is running, move out._

The squad enter the shuttle's airlock and the inner hatch closes behind them.

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - UTILITY/SERVICE LEVELS.

Broussard, Elias and the Melville survivors have encountered another obstacle in their quest to reach the mining shuttle. The corridor they are traversing is totally blocked by debris.

KHARISH.

 _We can bypass the blocked corridor through the utility section._

The survivors bactrack to a hatch with a sign reading: Kitchen Utilities Service. They enter the section. A steel catwalk rings the supply storage upper level and descends into the lower utilities level. The bottom of the catwalk stairway is under water, the lower level is flooded, the water is murky and opaque. Michalski walks down the stairs and into the water.

MICHALSKI.

 _Looks like one of the water tanks ruptured. It's only waist deep, we can get through._

The team descend into the flooded level. Broussard holds her flamethrower above the water. The survivors are making their way through the flooded section toward the upper level exit.

BROUSSARD.

 _Hard to believe the aliens could have caused so much structural damage to the station._

JERICHO.

 _We blew up some compartments to try and contain the aliens to certain areas of the station. With limited success obviously._

The survivors wade through the flooded section, the silence broken only by a steady dripping of water.

TUCKER.

 _Jesus I just felt something crawl over my foot._

JERICHO.

 _Calm down, there's all sorts of crap floating around in here._

The survivors wade through the flooded section, the silence broken only by a steady dripping of water.

At that moment the room erupts in chaos and confusion. McQuaid screams as a facehugger leaps from the water onto his face. He goes down underwater clawing at the alien parasite.

A facehugger launches from the water at Amber, and Freya, lightning fast, catches the parasite by the tail before it can attach itself to the terrified teenager's face. The station synthetic smashes the facehugger hard into a steel storage locker and hurls it across the room where it hits the wall and comes to rest on a kitchen counter. The facehugger's spine is smashed, it's legs and tail twitch spasmodically.

Slayton scoops Billy up and carries him under one arm as the burly miner wades through the water toward the exit. Carrington trips and goes under, he doesn't come back up. Michalski and Jericho feel around where Carrington went under, Jericho snags Carrington's leg and the two men lift him out of the water and wade toward the exit

Broussard, Elias and the others have nearly reached the stairs to the upper level exit, just ahead on the level above are three eggs. The four flaps on each egg open with a slimy, wet sound. Broussard raises her flamethrower and hoses them with a long burst of fire. The survivors make their way to the exit past the burning eggs, Jericho and Michalski are carrying Colonel Carrington, the security officer has a facehugger attached to his face. Once they are through, they seal the hatch and the bedraggled survivors slump to the deck. Jericho and Michalski lay Carrington down.

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILE - KITCHEN UTILITY SECTION.

CLOSE UP ON:

The water where McQuaid went under. Air bubbles rise to the surface. The facehugger is extracting oxygen and keeping him alive underwater.

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - CORRIDOR - UTILITIES SECTION.

The survivors are arguing over what they should do with Carrington and whether they should go back and try to find McQuaid.

DELANEY.

 _McQuaid went under with one of those things on his face, he's gone. Whatta we gonna do about Carrington? The fucking doctors couldn't get those things off, what can we do?_

TUCKER.

 _Leave him here, he's fucked anyway. Once those things are on they don't come off until they've shot their load._

FREYA.

 _The Colonel is still alive, we can not abandon him._

JERICHO.

 _Get everybody into the next section and wait for me. I'll look after the Colonel._

The party move on into the next section. After a few minutes the sound of a single gunshot echoes through the corridor.

INT. UPPER DOCKING PORT.

Coates walks around inspecting the upper docking port, he looks out a viewport at the docked mining shuttle, he is obviously bored. He lays down his pulse rifle and unlatches and removes his helmet.

COATES.

 _Fuck it. A little something to alleviate the stress._

Coates removes two items from a small auxilliary pouch on his combat spacesuit. He places a long white cylindrical object into his mouth and ignites it. He draws the smoke deep into his lungs and holds it a few seconds before exhaling a cloud of smoke.

The ex marine checks the mission clock readout on his wrist control panel. 35:22:07

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - MEDICAL LEVELS.

The Medical levels are in semi - darkness, many of the overhead lights are dark. It is a scene of carnage. The operating rooms behind the glassteel panels are splashed with blood and gore.

Steinberg enters the level as he is making his way toward the Control Centre. Armed with a torch he makes his way through the Medical Centre.Steinberg is in a bad way, nervous. An overhead lighting panel is flickering intermittently, spraying showers of sparks. As he passes, a tray of surgical instruments balanced precariously on a trolley falls to the floor with a loud clattering crash. A panicked Steinberg wheels around, relaxing slightly as he sees what caused the sudden noise **.** As he passes an operating theater he shines his torch inside. On the operating table is a corpse, ribs exploded outwards, the operating theatre is in darkness. The torchlight illuminates a doctors corpse. There is a man sized shape in the shadows at the rear of the dark OT, it is an alien, crouched, limbs folded in, it is in a state of semi - hibernation. It has been trapped inside since it's birth as there are no air ducts in the quarantine operating theater.

Steinberg doesn't register what it is and as he probes the darkness with his torch, the Xenomorph has awakened. Suddenly it is there right in front of him. Steinberg drops his torch and stumbles backward, caught by surprise by the creatures lightning fast reaction. The alien "Inspects" Steinberg it's head cocked to the side like a dog. The Con - Am company rep appears to be almost hypnotised as the alien's tongue emerges slowly, seemingly "tasting" the air. Steinberg is jolted abruptly out of his trance as the alien smashes at the Glassteel seperating them, at first the tough substance resists, but cracks begin to appear as the alien batters at the transparent barrier. Steinberg at first is frozen with fear but adrenaline kicks in and he sprints for the exit and seals the hatch as the cracks grow larger.

INT. USCSS WILLARD - XENOMORPH RESEARCH LAB - HIRIGAWA'S OFFICE.

Hirigawa sits at his desk reviewing the data they had gathered so far.

CLOSE UP ON:

Laptop Monitor as Hirigawa scrolls through the report.

Weyland - Yutani Corporation. Building Better Worlds.

Bio - Weapons Division.

Security Clearance: Asc 10. Division Director Eyes Only.

Encode: ASC10.#1[ .] 389 XT INC. Sol III.

Network Re - Route: Sec.1098MK51ULT#2740-aXTSOLSEC998a1b2C39.

Doctor Toshiro Hirigawa.

Team Leader. Bio - Weapons Division Research Team TCII E191. (LV 389).

Report on Xenomorph species discovered on LV 427. Zeta II Reticuli system. Non Indigenous. Also encountered on: LV 426. Zeta II Reticuli system. Non Indigenous. Con - Amalgamated Mining Station 87, LV 391. Tau Ceti II System. Non Indigenous.

Species name: Internecivus Raptus. Xenomorphology.

01: Parasitical Reproductive Traits. See Attatchment A.

Addendum: As yet unable to determine origin of Larval Form (eggs). First Stage parasite's ovipositor can extend barbed hooks into host's Oesophagus to prevent removal. No success in experiments to determine if the parasite can be surgically removed prior to Embryo Implantation.

It has been determined that the embryo's birth procedure involving traumatic exit through the chest is a form of Natural Selection. Logically, the most simplest way for the embryo to emerge would be for it to induce the host to vomit, thus expelling the embryo. The amount of force required for the embryo to exit through the Sternum and Ribcage is considerable. If the embryo lacks sufficient strength to exert this force it dies.

Spectrum Scans reveal what appears to be a Sensory Organ in the Occipital Region. The species Polarised Silicon Cellular Base1 renders them somewhat impervious to X - Ray and Quantum Imaging2. The Molecular Acid3a in the Circulatory System3b precludes conventional dissection methods. It has been determined as best as possible that this organ is somewhat similar to the Ampullae of Lorenzini of a terrestrial Shark. They can perceive electrical fields, as well as various radiation signatures. Sensor scans have detected Complex Chemical Chains4a. The species apparently communicate through Pheromone Interaction4b.

Hirigawa scrolls through the rest of the report and begins typing.

CLOSE UP ON:

Monitor.

Bill, we've barely begun to scratch the surface here! No luck as yet in determining where the eggs come from. Those bulging outcrops in the "Temple" appear to be some form of organic machinery, a delivery system possibly, if only we could examine them on site!

I've attached the video files from the combat synths helmet cams. These things perceive synthetics as artificial and only react to them if they are a threat. Team A managed two trips removing eggs from the "Temple" before the hibernating creatures reacted and took them out. Team B who were accompanied by a commando squad were torn to pieces before they could download the station logs at the control centre. We put a combat synth in with one of the adults and it ignored the synth completely until we ordered it to attack the creature whereupon it tore the combat android to shreds! It also appears the aliens can detect if a potential host is already carrying an embryo, we put one of the infected test subjects in with one of the adults and it left him alone. We ordered another combat synth to attack the infected man and the alien protected him against the synthetic. (I know combat synths are an extremely expensive piece of hardware, but I believe the expense is justified by what we discovered).

Masen is working on identifying the chemical chains of the aliens pheromones, we're hoping to develop an "Alien Repellant" that would allow a person to enter a hive unmolested (there's not much point in having a weapon you can't control!). Anyway it's all in the video files. One last thing before I sign off, the parasite impregnating test subject 10 is somewhat different in appearance than the first nine (see attached file) I'm anticipating some interesting new developments. Give my love to Mary and the kids.

Toshiro.

Hirigawa clicks on the Encode and Transmit icon and the report is forwarded to Comms. for transmission.

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - STATION RECREATION LEVELS.

The Melville survivors climb the stairwell linking the service Levels to the station's recreation levels. The large open concourse containing Cafeterias, Restaurants, Service Canteens and 3 - D Cinemas.

SLAYTON.

 _Only four more levels to go. Whatta ya say kid? We are out of here._

The burly miner ruffles Billy's hair.

Elias is the first to reach the hatch to the access corridor. He presses the control and the hatch slides open.

CLOSE UP ON:

The Access Corridor. It is totally encrusted by the alien hive structure. The atmosphere is thick and humid. It has the appearance of a living organism being consumed by some hideous cancer. The corridor is in semi - darkness as the hive material covers several lighting panels. The organic ribbed tubes cover the deck, slimy with alien mucous, squelching underfoot as Elias ignites a flare and takes a few steps into the corridor.

DELANEY.

 _Holy Shit._

TUCKER.

 _Well that's just great. We can't get through here, the whole level's gonna be crawling with those things, we gotta go back._

KHARISH.

 _We can't go back, this is the only way through._

TUCKER.

 _Well we're fucked then. I aint going through there._

SLAYTON.

 _I'm about fed up with your bullshit Tucker. Shut your mouth or I'm gonna knock out a few of ya teeth. Stay here, I don't give a flying fuck, but we're getting out of here._

JERICHO.

 _I'll take point with the flamethrower. Freya I want you in the middle, Elias bring up the rear. We are going home people._

Jericho takes the flamethrower from Broussard and the survivors enter the access corridor.


	6. Chapter 6

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - MAINTENANCE CORRIDOR.

The Weyland - Yutani commando squad are making their way through the section. Vikander, Trenchard and Ransom are sweeping the corridor, weapons at the ready. Trenchard's motion tracker beeps loudly. Trenchard, flamethrower in one hand, checks the readout.

VIKANDER. V.O.

 _Talk to me Trenchard._

TRENCHARD. V.O.

 _It's a clean signal, one reading, 25 metres, coming this way._

The squad stand ready, weapons trained on the closed hatch at the far end of the maintenance corridor. Trenchard's motion tracker continues to beep loudly until he presses the mute control. He returns the device to his utility belt and aims his flamethrower at the hatch.

CLOSE UP ON:

The hatch. It slides open and Steinberg stumbles through. He turns and pushes the hatch control and it slides closed. He becomes aware that he is not alone in the corridor, he turns and sees the combat suited Weyland - Yutani commando squad, weapons trained on him. Vikander opens his visor to question Steinberg.

STEINBERG.

 _Thank god you finally got here, we've been waiting weeks for rescue._

VIKANDER.

 _How many of you are there?_

STEINBERG.

 _It's just me, the others are dead. There was another party that were trying to reach the upper docking bay._

VIKANDER.

 _Was there a synthetic with them?_

STEINBERG.

 _Yeah there were two synthetics with the group, what's that got to do with anything? Can you guys lower your weapons you're making me nervous._

Vikander ignores the company rep. He speaks into the mic of his comms headset.

VIKANDER.

 _Vikander to Coates, the target is heading your way. We're on our way back now._

COATES. V.O.

 _Copy that sarge._

STEINBERG.

 _Target? What do you mean? Aren't you the rescue team?_

VIKANDER.

 _OK. We're going back to the docking port. You two move out I'll take care of this._

Trenchard and Ransom head back through the maintenance corridor. Vikander flips his pulse rifle from auto to single shot and aims at Steinberg.

STEINBERG.

 _What are you doing? I'm a rep for the Con - Amalgamated mining company, you can't shoot me._

Vikander fires, three shots, a Johannesburg triple tap, two in the heart one in the head. Steinberg's body hits the deck. Vikander turns and follows his men.

FADE TO BLACK.

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - RECREATION LEVELS - ACCESS CORRIDOR.

The survivors are traversing the corridor leading to the main hive. The alien hive material in this section is markedly different, it's colour is a pale greyish white, the top layers have become translucent. An alien attacks from above, it is also greyish white and translucent, it has the same appearance as the sickly hive material. Jericho triggers a burst from the flamethrower and the alien tries to flee but is toast. More of the translucent aliens emerge from the sickly hive material. Broussard targets one and fires multiple rounds into the warrior's torso, the alien's armored exoskeleton appears to be soft and gelatinous and the handgun rounds punch right through, the acid blood leaks slowly from the wounds as the alien goes down. Broussard targets another alien and fires. Elias targets an alien with his shock stunner and the beast is knocked off it's feet, Slayton and Delaney repeatedly taser the prone warrior as it lies on the ground hissing feebly. As Freya passes a subfloor access hatch it expodes open, and the station synthetic is grabbed and pulled down by three of the pale, sickly aliens.

AMBER.

 _FREYA._

More aliens pour out from the subfloor utilities hatch as the survivors flee, but Jericho holds them off in the tight corridor with the flamethrower, covering their retreat, the survivors gather at the hatch leading into the rec levels. It appears the alien attack has been fought off but Freya is lost. The teenaged Amber is fighting to get back to where the station synthetic disappeared. The others are restraining her.

AMBER.

 _We gotta...go back for her...let me go you assholes...we can't just leave her._

JERICHO.

 _I'm sorry kid she's gone, there's nothing we can do, we've gotta move._

TUCKER.

 _Get over it kid it's just a machine_ , _no great loss._

AMBER.

 _Shut up you loudmouth asshole, she wasn't just a machine, she was a person, she was my friend._

Tucker goes to make some smart arse crack and Slayton grabs him by the shirt and pulls him close. Right in Tucker's face, Slayton snarls in a low voice:

SLAYTON.

 _Leave the kid alone Tucker or I'll rip your head off right now, you copy that "amigo"? That synth has been watching out for that kid since this_ _shit went down, you got anything else to say?_

Tucker realising Slayton isn't fucking around shakes his head. Slayton lets him go and Tucker adjusts his shirt, a sullen look on his face.

JERICHO.

 _That was too easy, there's something wrong with them, they looked like they were sick._

Jericho opens the hatch and the survivors enter the station rec levels. He seals the hatch behind them.

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - RECREATION PLAZA.

The large open plaza is unrecognisable. Alien hive secretions cover every surface, it has the same appearance as the access corridor, it looks like the hive is rotting.

There are station personnel coccooned into the walls around the concourse, eggs placed in front of them, dead facehuggers litter the deck. Only a few have chest wounds, the others all still have facehuggers attached.

The others are looking round the diseased hive in disgust, the smell of putrefaction is overwhelming. The few unhatched eggs about the chamber are a shrivelled translucent greyish white, a few have opened and dead facehuggers droop out.

MICHALSKI.

 _Jesus that is the worst stench I've ever smelt._

Broussard walks up to one of the cocooned station personnel.

BROUSSARD.

 _Hey you guys, check this out._

They approach the cocooned man. The Facehugger has the same greyish white, translucent appearance. Elias examines the man it is attached to: it looks like his face and the parasite are melting together, the division between alien and man is barely discernible, the man also has the greyish white translucent appearance, protuberances stretch out his translucent skin in bizarre shapes.

ELIAS.

 _Both are deceased and appear to be undergoing some form of metamorphosis._

KHARISH.

 _What the hell is going on here?_

JERICHO.

 _Those things usually fall off and die after insemination._

ELIAS.

 _It appears the hive is infected with some form of contagion._

JERICHO.

 _Nobody touch anything._

BROUSSARD.

 _Won't help if it's airborne._

JERICHO.

 _Let's get the hell out of here._

They continue on.

INT. DEEP STATION MELVILLE - MAINTENANCE SUB CORRIDOR.

Vikander, Trenchard and Ransom are making their way back to the upper docking port. Trenchard stops to inspect a large hole burnt through the deck plating.

CLOSE UP ON:

The large hole in the deck plating. The alien blood has burned through five station levels.

TRENCHARD V.O.

 _Someone must have popped one of the hostiles. Jesus sarge that acid is potent._

He peers down into the deep hole.

Vikander and Ransom are at the bulkhead hatch to the next section.

VIKANDER V.O.

 _Move your ass Trenchard, we ain't got time for sightseeing._

Ransom hits the hatch control, as he does his motion tracker begins beeping insistently. The hatch opens to reveal a crouched alien warrior, it hisses at the commando, ready to strike.

RANSOM V.O.

 _FUCK._

The commando reflexively fires his weapon at the snarling alien. The smart gun rounds tear the alien to pieces, but at this close range Ransom cops the full acid splashback, Vikander a few paces back gets a few drops on his helmet visor. Ransom's screams echo in his comms headset as Vikander unlatches the smoking helmet and tears it off. Trenchard is caught by surprise as an alien scrambles up through the hole in the deck, he had forgotten to unmute his motion tracker. He triggers a burst of flame at the beast which retreats hastily. Ahead Vikander has dragged the screaming Ransom through the hatch. More aliens pour through the hole in the deck.

VIKANDER.

 _MOVE IT TRENCHARD._

Vikander is standing in the open hatchway. Aliens lunge for the commando, he shoots the leading one but more are approaching fast.

VIKANDER.

 _I'VE GOTTA SEAL THE HATCH NOW, MOVE IT MARINE._

As Trenchard is racing for the hatch his flamethrower is grabbed and torn from his hands by a warrior. Trenchard unholsters his sidearm and shoots the alien repeatedly in the torso, the warrior is jolted backwards by the handgun rounds but it is not fatally wounded. As the alien recovers and approaches Trenchard, Vikander seals the hatch. Trenchard turns to the viewport and fires multiple rounds until the hardened glass shatters and the viewport blows out explosively. Trenchard and the surviving aliens are blown into space by the explosive decompression.

An emergency warning sounds from the monitor next to the sealed hatch.

COMPUTER V.O.

 _WARNING. COMPARTMENT 51C IS EXPOSED TO VACUUM. EMERGENCY BULKHEAD SEALED. STATION EMERGENCY SERVICES HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. WARNING. COMPARTMENT 51C IS EXPOSED TO VACUUM. EMERGENCY BULKHEAD SEALED..._

VIKANDER.

 _Shut the fuck up._

The ex Special Forces soldier flips his pulse rifle to single shot and fires two rounds into the monitor which showers sparks and is silent. Vikander kneels down and inspects Ransom but there is nothing he can do, the commando is dead, his helmet and suit, along with half his face and chest have been burnt away by the acid.

VIKANDER.

 _Goddamn cheap ass company, saddling me with these ex marine fuck-ups._

He stands up and tries to contact Trenchard, the transmission is broken up by static.

VIKANDER.

 _Vikander to Trenchard, are you reading me?_

TRENCHARD V.O.

... _read you...sarge..copy..._

VIKANDER.

 _Looks like you just bought yourself a one way tour of this system soldier._

TRENCHARD V.O.

... _suit beacon...tivated...Richter...track my beacon...and get me...the shuttle._

VIKANDER.

 _Can't do that son. I need Richter on Mission. When we've got the target, we'll come get you._

TRENCHARD V.O.

 _Suit's_... _O_ _2_ _leak...won't last...long. Need pickup now...bastard._

VIKANDER.

 _You've got your suicide pill, you knew the score when you signed on. Hell, you dropped the ball son, if you had your shit wired tight you wouldn't be in this mess, Vikander out._

TRENCHARD V.O.

 _Fuck you...motherfucking piece... shit..._

Vikander turns off his comms headset as Trenchard's insults echo through the corridor. He racks the action of his pulse rifle and continues on toward the docking port.


End file.
